CENTRAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 12th August, 2025
(2) These regulations shall come into force from the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Mental Healthcare (Central Mental Health Authority) Regulations, 2020, after Chapter – VI, the following Chapter shall be inserted, namely: –
“CHAPTER- VII
CLASSIFICATION AND CATEGORIES OF MENTAL HEALTH ESTABLISHMENTS 19. (1) Classification and Categories of Mental Health Establishments. The mental health establishments shall consist of the following classifications and categories as mentioned in the table below, namely:
TABLE
| Serial number | Classification | Category |
| (1) | (2) | (3) |
| 1. | Standalone Mental Health Establishments | Category A |
| 2. | Psychiatric Department of Medical Colleges | Category B |
| 3. | Psychiatric Wards of Multi-specialty Hospitals | Category C |
| 4. | Standalone De-addiction Centres | Category D |
| 5. | Centres for Psychosocial Rehabilitation | Category E |
(2). The mental health establishment specified in sub-regulation (1) shall be registered with the respective Authority under Section 65 of the Act.
(3). The Category A mental health establishment, –
(a) shall have a standalone and dedicated center for providing in-patient mental health services, without being part of a general or multi-specialty hospital setup;
(b) may include standalone central and state mental hospitals or institutes, private mental hospitals or institutes, and psychiatric nursing homes;
(c) may provide the following services, namely: –
(i) In-patient care, which may include acute crisis intervention, long-term care, and treatment for substance use disorders;
(ii) Comprehensive psychiatric services, including diagnostics, pharmacological and psychosocial interventions, and rehabilitation components.
(4). The Category B mental health establishment, –
(a) shall have in-patient facility as part of the psychiatric departments of medical colleges, providing integrated clinical and academic services;
(b) may include in-patient psychiatric wards of government and private medical colleges; (c) may provide the following services, namely: –
(i) integrated academic and clinical structure of medical colleges, contributing to capacity building in mental health professions;
(ii) clinical care, undergraduate/postgraduate training, and may engage in psychiatric research; (iii) integrated care for co-morbid psychiatric and physical health conditions;
(iv) outpatient services and emergency/crisis interventions.
(5). The Category C mental health establishment
(a) shall have a psychiatric unit or ward as part of general or multi-specialty hospitals, district mental health programme units and similar facilities, offering in-patient mental health services alongside other medical specialties;
(b) may include, in-patient psychiatric units, departments or wards within private multi-specialty hospitals and district mental health programme, district hospitals, sub-district or taluk hospitals and community health centres; (c) may provide the following services, namely: –
(i) short to medium-term in-patient care;
(ii) integrated care for co-morbid psychiatric and physical health conditions;
(iii) outpatient services and emergency/crisis interventions.
(6). The Category D mental health establishment
(a) shall have a standalone or dedicated centre for providing specialised in-patient services for substance use disorders, without being part of any other health or mental health institution or organization; (b) may include standalone de-addiction centres, including facilities such as i ntegrated r ehabilitation centres for a ddicts and addiction treatment facilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; (c) may also provide the services of short-term detoxification to long-term residential rehabilitation, offering acute detoxification, withdrawal management, and rehabilitation.
(7). The Category E mental health establishment
(a) shall have a centre for residential psychosocial rehabilitation and long-term community-based care for persons with mental healthcare needs, including support for activities of daily living, recovery, independent living, skill development and social reintegration;
(b) may include quarter-way homes, halfway homes, and long-stay homes where overnight stay is provided; (c) may provide the following services, namely: –
(i) life skills and vocational training, functional improvement and supportive residential environments; (ii) independent living facilities, community reintegration, and long-term supported care”.
Note: The principal regulations were published vide notification F.No.V.15011/09/2019-PH-1, dated the 18th December, 2020, published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary Part III, Section 4 dated, the 18th December, 2020.
